Tips On Packing A Fairly New Canopy

[skycamefalling 0]

My canopy is a fairly new Sabre2 210 that was manufactured in the later part of 08 and has approx 80 jumps on it. When it comes to packing it, everything goes just fine until I start my S folds. Once I do those and get it ready to put it in the D-bag, it just spills out all over the place and turns to a giant ball of crap. I am of course still fairly new to packing, but I did not have this much trouble when I learned how to pack on an older 210.

Any ideas or tips out there that can help me get through that part of the pack job a little bit quicker? I dont care if a pack job takes me 30 min or so, but well over an hours is driving me nuts right now. I also dont want to take the easy way out and pay a packer. I want to learn and be able to do it myself.

Speedracer~I predict that Michael Jackson will rise from the dead.
And that a giant radioactive duck will emerge from the ocean and eat Baltimore.

[BIGUN 1,297]

Do a search on psychopack... till you get it broke in then you can flip back to the pro pack

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[mjosparky 4]

Here is something that may help.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[skycamefalling 0]

Quote

Do a search on psychopack... till you get it broke in then you can flip back to the pro pack

I did a search on the psychopack. Based off of what I read, it seems a hell of a lot easier. Now I going to go check out the video on the Icarus canopy site to see how it looks.

Speedracer~I predict that Michael Jackson will rise from the dead.
And that a giant radioactive duck will emerge from the ocean and eat Baltimore.

[JohnnyMarko 1]

From PD

Quote

We don't recommend the “psycho bagging” technique for a couple of reasons. For one thing, we feel there are easier ways to put the canopy in the bag that work just as well. We also do not think a canopy should be packed with a lot of material in front of the nose, which happens when you psycho pack.

We’ve made test jumps on a number of our main canopies using a psycho pack, and the openings were acceptable. We also know of some customers using this method with our canopies who are happy with the results. So, you can use the “psycho bagging” technique with your PD main if you want, but it is not the method we recommend.

I demoed a slick Sabre2 and stayed away from the psycho pack. Practice, practice, practice...I bet you I packed and un-packed the Sabre2 15+ times during the week. It sucks at first, but you'll get the hang of it.

[LongWayToFall 0]

I also did some research on the psycho pack, and decided to stay with pro packing. Uncocking of the pilot chute is a real problem, be careful!
Something you can try is making the small S fold (the one closest to the lines) while the canopy is already in the bag.
Controlling fabric is a pain in the ass, I am still trying new things to make it easier. Use those knees and grasp the entire side of the canopy as you push it into the bag, this helps keep the folds from moving.
Talk to some packers at the DZ, everyone has a different style, just gotta find out what works for you!

Good luck

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JiAegc8EOw

[skycamefalling 0]

Yeah I also unpack and pack while I am at home. I just have not quite figured out that right thing to do yet. I have watched the PD packing videos numerous times and they have helped me quite a bit actually. I also watch them when I get bored at work. Thanks for the info so far. Looks like I will continue to work on packing when I get off of work tomorrow.

Speedracer~I predict that Michael Jackson will rise from the dead.
And that a giant radioactive duck will emerge from the ocean and eat Baltimore.

[brucet7 0]

I have a Sabre 2 230. I don't make that first S fold until I have the rest in the bag as well. Once the rest is in the bag, then I take the lines at the slider and push them in where that fold would be made as on the video.

POPS #10623; SOS #1672

[skycamefalling 0]

Quote

I have a Sabre 2 230. I don't make that first S fold until I have the rest in the bag as well. Once the rest is in the bag, then I take the lines at the slider and push them in where that fold would be made as on the video.

I think that I will give that a try tomorrow and see how it goes.

Speedracer~I predict that Michael Jackson will rise from the dead.
And that a giant radioactive duck will emerge from the ocean and eat Baltimore.

[jrh 0]

I jump an almost new Sabre 2 and use an aluminum "packing stick" to help hold the s-fold in place. I literally can't control the fabric without this thing.

It's basically a long, flat, smooth aluminum paddle that I borrowed from my rigger. I see one in Para Gear, Item S7175, for $15.

I place it about halfway up the canopy, make the first fold on top of it, then fold the top of the canopy like usual. So the packing stick is basically stuffed inside the pack job. It's hard to describe without showing you a picture.

I get one corner in the bag, pull the stick out, then cram the second corner in. Without the stick adding some rigidity to the pack job, all the folds shift around and come undone before I can get the corners in the bag.

[piisfish 140]

Quote

Do a search on psychopack... till you get it broke in then you can flip back to the pro pack

why flip back ? Once he will be "fluent" in psychopack he will not want to go back

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[bucketlistpilot 1]

Quote

Quote

Do a search on psychopack... till you get it broke in then you can flip back to the pro pack

why flip back ? Once he will be "fluent" in psychopack he will not want to go back

Absolutely. Same scenario, bought Sabre2 210 with 14 jumps on it when I had done 20. Lost count of how many loads I missed because I lost control of it while bagging it. Learnt to psycho pack about 80 jumps ago and haven't lost control of it since, and I've had better openings than when I did manage to pro pack it.

Ian Purvis
http://www.loadupsoftware.com
LoadUp DZ Management App
admin@loadupsoftware.com

[BIGUN 1,297]

Quote

Quote

Do a search on psychopack... till you get it broke in then you can flip back to the pro pack

why flip back ? Once he will be "fluent" in psychopack he will not want to go back

Just as an option.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[Hellis 0]

Dont be such a wuss, freepack it!
Just make sure you get it on video

No seriously, dont.
But have you tried the reverse S-fold? You only bag about half of the canopy at first and then you "jam" down the rest.
You make the last part of the S-fold and bag it, then you make the first S-fold where the slider is and squeeze that in the bag.
It usually easier, especially on bigger canopies or for those with smal hands

[DARK 0]

practicing using your knees and chest to control the material at all times is what will help you most

reverse s folds are a good way too but i quickly went back to regular sfolds as i can keep better control of the slider but thats just me

practice, depending were you are in the states you are going to have at least one weather day in the next two weeks at the dz, practice packing it 10 times in a row, just up until the point its in the bag and the locking stows are done

at the very least this will speed you up and give you more time to work on being careful bagging it

it took me a full season of packing before i wasnt too 'scared' attempting to pack brand new tandem canopies and another full season before i knew they werent going to kick my ass ever again

the best solution is practice everyother solution has some downsides

[Hellis 0]

Quote

reverse s folds are a good way too but i quickly went back to regular sfolds as i can keep better control of the slider but thats just me

I usually place my right knee/leg where the warninglabel is. If you dont move to much it should keep things where they should be.

[DARK 0]

Quote

Quote

reverse s folds are a good way too but i quickly went back to regular sfolds as i can keep better control of the slider but thats just me

I usually place my right knee/leg where the warninglabel is. If you dont move to much it should keep things where they should be.

yep there are obviously ways to do it safely i did it that way for hundreds of packjobs with no problems but i did notice that the nose was a always a bit looser and the slider a bit more messy and needed fixing more often using that method then regular s-folds so i teach regular s-folds and only advise reverse s-folds if they are seriously having trouble with controlling the fabric

[Hellis 0]

Im not sure how you can see the nose of the canopy when you are baging it, but i think you are doing something wrong
But yes it does make the packjob a bit looser by the Slider/warninglabel.
But as long as the slider is at the stops it shouldnt make much difference.
And as in this case, a saber2, a "hard opening" would be 1500 feet snivel

[DARK 0]

Quote

Im not sure how you can see the nose of the canopy when you are baging it, but i think you are doing something wrong
But yes it does make the packjob a bit looser by the Slider/warninglabel.
But as long as the slider is at the stops it shouldnt make much difference.
And as in this case, a saber2, a "hard opening" would be 1500 feet snivel

typo i meant the tail, the wraps tend to unwrap a bit more in my experience

[DocPop 1]

http://www.youtube.com/user/PDBlog#p/a/u/2/5JiAegc8EOw

"The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls."

~ CanuckInUSA

[GLIDEANGLE 1]

Psycho packing has two advantages:

1. Easier to control while bagging.

2. The name "psycho packing" scares people and increases your cool value.

The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

[LongWayToFall 0]

Disadvantages
1: VERY prone to uncocking the pilot chute.

2. It is possible for the roll to be yanked by the bridle before it is unrolled, causing major line twists.

1 more advantage though, is the ability to dress the slider on the ground, which is handy. In a normal pro pack the tail is tight around the lines preventing an easy way of doing it.

[TiaDanger 0]

I also learned to pack on a brand new canopy I agree with everyone who said to do the first s-fold at the top of the cacoon, get it in the bag, then do the push the second s-fold (near the lines) into the bag. That way you are only having to control half your canopy at a time.

Also, what helped me is when your cocoon is on the ground (pre s-fold), to control the outer layer from the bottom with your hand. If you can keep the outer layer taut from underneath, you will prevent the 'guts' from spilling out when you start your folds.

And for the record: the appropriate ranking of cool modes of transportation is jet pack, hover board, transporter, Batmobile, and THEN giant ant.
D.S. #8.8

[jim_32766 0]

These two packing videos from PD helped me with my new Sabre2 190. Good luck!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhEHdKemr1M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JiAegc8EOw

The meaning of life . . . is to make life have meaning.

[TSISK 0]

Quote

http://www.youtube.com/user/PDBlog#p/a/u/2/5JiAegc8EOw

that is a great vid, Ive wayched it about 50 times, I did my first day of self packing yesterday. Still slow but getting better